Last month's drabble focused on Hiccstrid. So I decided to have March's drabble focus on Stalka. Warning: This one may break your heart so make sure you have plenty of tissues.

Title: For You, My Dear, Anything

Takes Place: In between the defeat of Valka's Bewilderbeast and Stoick's sacrifice in HTTYD 2.

Summary: Just minutes before he sacrifices his life to save Hiccup from the horrors of Drago Bludvist and his Alpha, Stoick spends a few last moments with his wife, Valka. A little something I imagined what happened between them while Hiccup was confronting Drago.

…

Valka Haddock felt her heart break into a thousand pieces as she looked down at the scene below her. And the scene down below her was not pleasant.

Her great, pure-white Bewilderbeast, the Alpha of all her rescued dragons, was lying on the ground, defeated and dead. And all the dragons of her icy sanctuary were now bowing down before Drago Bludvist's scarred, grayish Bewilderbeast, its tusks still bearing the iron shackles. He was their Alpha now and all the dragons were controlled into following it.

And to make matters worse, Drago's deep, raspy voice called rang out into the air as he gave and order to the giant, scarred dragon:

"FINISH HER!"

Looking over her shoulder, Valka held on tightly to the nape of Cloudjumper's neck as the scarred Bewilderbeast let out a roar and turned towards them. The new Alpha released a stream of ice on the ground in their direction and Cloudjumper flew as fast as he could but the old, tan Stormcutter wasn't quick enough. And now his tail was frozen in ice, making it difficult for him to fly properly. Still, he was determined to get himself and her away from the rampaging giant beast.

At that moment, Valka heard another voice ring out into the air:

"HOLD ON!"

It was Stoick's voice. Turning her head in his direction, she looked down and saw her husband mount his green Rumblehorn, Skullcrusher and together, they began flying towards them. Although Valka had faith that her husband would come to protect her, she still had make sure herself that she would get away from the scarred Bewilderbeast.

Cloudjumper flew forwards while a swarm of escaping dragons flew right past them. One of them inadvertently slammed into Valka, knocking her off Cloudjumper's back. Valka kept her hands onto her old friend's neck as tighly as she could and tried to climb back on again but she knew she wouldn't be able to hold on any longer.

Suddenly, they found themselves face to face with the angered expression of the scarred Bewilderbeast and it let out another great roar. Finally, her fingers slipped from Cloudjumper's scaly neck and with a yell she began falling towards the icy ground below.

Suddenly, something slammed into her, catching her in mid-air - something with red hair, green eyes and well-muscled arms.

Stoick!

Her husband had saved her!

Now instead of falling downwards, they were falling forwards. And they fell forwards –SMACK! – into the icy mountainside. Keeping one arm tightly around Valka, Stoick dug the blade of his axe into the snowy wall as they slid down the slope. As they reached the slope, Valka fell out of Stoick's grip and leaned backwards, nearly falling but Stoick grabbed hold of her hand and pulled her towards a small opening in the wall of ice – kind of cramped but at least they were safe for now. Valka could feel the scarred Bewilderbeast's cold, foul, steamy breath as it lowered its head, looking for its prey.

From where she and Stoick stood, she could hear a third voice crying out, "STOP!"

Hiccup!

No doubt that he was on his way to Drago to talk some sense into the evil dragon controller just as he had planned to do.

Despite the fact that she was the one who was currently in danger, Valka inched forward towards the exit, desperate to find and rescue her son before Drago would do something awful to him. But Stoick gently but firmly pulled her back into hiding.

"No, Val," he said, his voice as gentle and firm as his grip. "I'm worried about our son too but if you go out there…" He looked towards the exit with an angered expression. "…it will get you."

"You're right," Valka admitted, knowing that her husband was right. "And it's not going to leave until one of us comes out."

A strange look came into Stoick's face for a moment before changing it into a look of grim determination. Valka couldn't help but notice a trace of heartbreak beneath that grimly determined expression on her husband's hardened face.

"You're right, it's not," Stoick said at last. He patted her shoulder. "You stay here, Valka."

"What are you doing?" Valka asked as he started to slowly make his way out of the sheltered wall of ice.

"If it gets me instead, maybe it'll leave you alone," Stoick replied. "Now, once again, I ask you to stay there."

Valka's eyes widened in horror as she quickly realized what was happening. Stoick was getting ready to sacrifice himself for her just as he had attempted to do on that fateful morning Cloudjumper had broken into their house back when their son was still a tiny baby. He, along with Hiccup, had very nearly died that time but this time, he was going to die for real if he stepped out from their hiding place. Although, Stoick the Vast was a strong, well-trained Viking, Valka knew he was still no match against a mountain-sized dragon that had been badly abused by one of the most evil of men.

"No, Stoick!" she cried, grabbing hold of his arm.

"Valka…" Stoick started reasonably.

"You can't go out there, Stoick!" Valka continued, as tears leaked out her eyes. "I can't let it kill you instead. I just got you back! I just got Hiccup back! I promised you that I would come home and be your wife again, remember?! We were going to be a family again just like you said! Please don't do it, Stoick!"

She knew her hysterical pleads were only attracting Drago's Alpha even further but she couldn't help it.

Stoick looked shocked during her pleading but once she finished, his expression melted into that of heartbreak and tears also began streaming down his slightly wrinkled cheeks. Then he wrapped his arms around her as he pulled her into a tight embrace.

"Believe me, Valka, I'm not happy about this either," he said, looking into her eyes. "But there's no other choice. It's either you or me. Might as well be me."

Valka sniffled and nodded. Stoick lifted her chin with his calloused fingers and smiled sadly.

"But let me tell you something," he continued. "I'm so glad I got to spend some time with you again even if it was for a short time. And I'm grateful that I married you out of all the women I could've married on Berk."

"And I'm grateful that I married you out of all the men I could've married on Berk," Valka said, also cracking a smile.

"You take care of our boy and he'll take care of you," Stoick advised gently. "Be there when he marries Astrid Hofferson and help them raise our grandchildren."

"I will," Valka promised, nodding.

"And during my time in Valhalla, I will patiently count down the days when you're all in my arms again," Stoick said, pressing his hand on her cheek.

"And from the moment we reunite in Valhalla, you owe me another dance," Valka insisted firmly. "No, a thousand dances."

Stoick's smile grew wider as he leaned forward. "For you, my dear…anything."

And with that, he pressed his lips against hers and they kissed hard and long.

As overgrown as Valka thought her husband's beard was, she'd missed that scratchy feeling of all those shaggy hairs against her cheeks and lips. Maybe she could convince Hiccup into growing a beard – a short one, of course.

As they pulled away, the grim look of determination returned to Stoick's face.

"Well, here I go," he muttered, as he pressed his back against the icy wall and kept his grip on his axe nice and tight.

Valka nodded and kept her hands and back against the wall too in order to keep herself hidden as well as preventing herself from following Stoick.

But just as Stoick began to make his way out of their hiding place, a series of fierce cries rang out into the air, so loud and so fierce, it almost shattered Valka's ears.

"AAAAAAAHHHHH! AAAAAHHHHHHHH! AAAAAAHHHHHH!"

The scarred Bewilderbeast turned its head towards the direction of Drago's cries and began making its way towards them. As she watched the gray Bewilderbeast step away from her's and Stoick's hiding place, Valka felt a twinge of hope and relief. Maybe Stoick wouldn't have to sacrifice himself for her after all.

….

Two Hours Later

But Stoick did end up sacrificing himself after all.

After Drago had called his Bewilderbeast, the giant, scarred dragon placed poor Toothless, Hiccup's Night Fury under its hypnotic control and forced the black dragon to turn against Hiccup and kill him with a single fatal plasma blast. Stoick had arrived in the nick of time to push Hiccup out of the way and be hit and killed instead.

And now Valka stood on the beach, surrounded by Hiccup, Gobber, Astrid Hofferson, the Dragon Riders of Berk consisting of Fishlegs Ingerman, Snotlout Jorgenson, the Thorston twins, Ruffnut and Tuffnut and Eret, Son of Eret, who had recently quit his place as Dragon Trapper and joined their side. Together, they all watched as the ship they had placed Stoick's body on and had just recently set aflame with flaming arrows sail off into the horizon – its golden flames giving off light against the cold, gray environment.

As Hiccup murmured a silent farewell and apology to his father, Valka could've sworn she could feel the cold air turn warm around her and she was almost certain she could hear Stoick's voice singing in her ear…

"I'll swim and sail on savage seas with ne'er a fear of drowning…"

This made her crack a slight smile.

Although Stoick had taken the plasma blast that was meant for Hiccup, Valka felt that in a way, he had taken the blast for her as well. He didn't just sacrifice his life for their son, he had sacrificed his life for her as well. It was something he had been willing to do ever since he married her and ever since she conceived their son. After all, she and Hiccup were the two most important people in his life. Oh, he loved all the people of Berk, but he couldn't love them more than he could love his family. In spite of her heartbreak, she felt grateful that her husband was willing to make many sacrifices to keep her and their son happy and safe including his own life.

She also knew that she had to stay strong for Hiccup. So she slowly made her way towards him to give him the comfort that he desperately needed.

….

I'm telling you, I was fighting back tears while writing this one-shot. The deaths of loved ones can be very heartbreaking indeed, but their memories always remain in our hearts forever and they'd want for us to stay strong and continue our lives.

Keep your eyes peeled for April's drabble. You'll LOVE April's drabble, I can promise you that.